Ceasefire (2009)
"Waffenstillstand" (original title)

A 24 hours ceasefire. The situation in Falluja is devastating- no food, no medications, no help. A group of five people sets out with the plan to help- they end up fighting for the lives of... See full summary »

Director:

Lancelot von Naso

Writers:

Kai-Uwe Hasenheit, Collin McMahon,

Stars:

Matthias Habich, Thekla Reuten, Hannes Jaenicke

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Matthias Habich	...	Alain Laroche
Thekla Reuten	...	Kim
Hannes Jaenicke	...	Ralf
Maximilian von Pufendorf	...	Oliver
Husam Chadat	...	Husam
Peter Gantzler	...	Eric
David Michael Williamson	...	Press Officer
Harvey Friedman	...	Colonel Gibson
Larbi Sassi	...	Abu Ali (as Larbi Sassy)
Meryam Raoui	...	Fatima
Calvin Burke	...	Chief Mayberry (as Calvin E. Burke)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mansour Badri
Sebastian Deyle	...	Lance Corporal Mason
Alessandro Di Martini	...	Us Marines
Rabii Idrissi

Storyline

A 24 hours ceasefire. The situation in Falluja is devastating- no food, no medications, no help. A group of five people sets out with the plan to help- they end up fighting for the lives of the helpless and wounded and eventually - their own.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Germany Switzerland

Language:

German Arabic English

Release Date:

1 April 2010 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Ceasefire

Filming Locations:

Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

DRIFE Productions, DCM Productions, DCM Mitte Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Very hopeful attempt

First of all, I have to say, that I am German like the director Lancelot von Naso and tired of the small „typical" German „talking heads movies". So I really was looking forward to this interesting Idea of placing a German action/road movie story in the post war Iraq setting. But first: it was hard to find a cinema to watch this movie on a 35mm copy, even it was two weeks after the release; so finally, I ended up sitting in a tiny basement theater and was viewing a DVD. And second: I have to admit that during the whole film, you feel that it's a low budget movie. But, on the other hand, considering the 1.7 mio Euro budget it's amazing who they managed to create that threatening 2004 Bagdad atmosphere in Morocco.

The story sounds like a classic: After the US-bombing of Falludscha the village is totally cut off of the rest of the country and the medical help is running out of equipment. An experienced but tired, morphium addict doctor, a young, very engaged female doctor, two buddy journalists and their local driver team up and risk their life to deliver medicine with a small bus from Bagdad. It could have been a very suspenseful odyssey thru the chaotic, vast country but the story never finds it's pace. The acting and writing sometimes changes from acceptable to awfully amateurish. And almost all characters are missing some development ... except for one of them, what makes the movie at least watchable and entertaining in the end.

Compared to other German movies (I rather leave out an international comparison) the editing and camera-work have some cool, cinematic approaches but it also has some negative similarities to other German movies; which is the lack of a certain, artistic style and point of view. It always seems that the filmmakers don't dare to use color correction, sound design and a deliberate visual concept. So everything from storytelling perspective to costume design and dramatic twists seems to be in the middle. It neither works as an action/adventure movie nor as a stylized, reduced, small character study.

But all in all, I appreciate the Idea and risky attempt this filmmakers brought to the screen an I hope there will be more daring German productions like this. I know how difficult this is.